Furnace



PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. KELLER, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO.

rummon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

Application filed December 3, .1917. Serial No. 205,020.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. KELLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Furnaces, of which 7 the following is a specification; the principle of the invention being herein explained, and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle so as to distinguish it from other inventions. V

The presentinvention, relating, as indicated, to furnaces, has particular regard to means for permitting the convenient conversion of an ordinary hot air furnace into either a coal or gas burning furnace as desired. In regions where natural gas is largely used as a fuel it is often desirable, when the gas supply temporarily fails, to be able to readily convert the furnace into a coal burning furnace. This can of course be accomplished in most furnaces that are in common use by the removal of the gas burners and the substitution of grate bars, but this is often a matter of considerable time and labor and of course no heating can go on during the change from the burners to the grate bars. The present invention relates to means for accomplishing the conversion of the furnace from one fuel to theother with a minimum of time and trouble, and to a burner of improved type which can be used above the ordinary grates, permitting the latter to remain permanently in position ready for use. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mecha nism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing Figure 1 is a transverse horizontal section through a furnace chamber showing the position and method of introduction of my improved gas burner; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the gas burner and conduits entering the same on the line 22 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the gas burner on the line 3-8, Fig. 2.

' In Fig. 1 there is shown the body or furnace chamber 1 of the usual hot air furnace having spaced walls 2 and 8, between which the hot 'airrises to the conduits leading to the various rooms to be heated. The furnace chamber 1 is provided with the usual lateral opening 4 which may be closed by means of a door 5 pivoted about a vertical axis. Within the furnace chamber are shown the usual grate bars 6, which need not be described in detailexcept to say that'in the present invention the grate bars may be left always in place as they do not interfere with the operation of the gas burner since the grate is positioned below the burner. Accordingly, as soon as a gas burner is removed from the furnace coal may be introduced above the gratebars and the fire started.

My improved gasburning apparatus consists of a Vertical supply pipe 7 disposed at a suitabledistance from the furnace, and

controlled by means of a valve 8. Pivotally connected to the upper end of this supply pipe 7 is a short length of conduit 9, to the other end of which are connected two conduits 10 and 11, which are of sufficient length to reach into the furnace through the opening 4. These two conduits 10 and 11 are controlled by means of valves 12 and 13 respectively. The two conduits 10 and 11 at their inner ends are inserted in a semi-spherical casing 14 which is divided into two chambers by a longitudinal partition 15, the conduits 10 and 11 opening into the two chambers formed by this partition respectively. The semi-spherical casing 14 is provided with a horizontally extending flange or base plate 16, upon which is suitably mounted a similar con centric outer casing 17 which is provided with a tubular extension 18 surrounding the two supply conduits 10 and 11. Fitted into this tubular extension 18 is an open air supply conduit 19, extending outwardly from the furnace to a point just short of the valves 12 and 13 and bearing a closure plate 20 which is adapted, when the burner is inserted in the furnace, to engage against the sides of the door opening and close the same about the air-supply conduit 19 and the fuel supply conduits 10 and 11.

The inner casing 14 is provided with two horizontally arranged rows of openings 21 and 22, which are arranged in staggered relation and into which are fitted burner tubes 23. The burner tubes 23 extend through similarly positioned openings in the outer casing 17 and are apertured near their inner ends at 24 to permit of the introduction of air thereto. The air is of course supplied through the air inlet conduit 19 to the space between the casings 14; and 17 and fromfthis space through the apertures 24 to the burner tubes' It will be seen that each burner tube is in. effect a Bunsenburner and that a relatively large number of such Bunsen burners may be used, directed in practically all dis rections from the sides of the casings l4 and i 17, which'se'eures an even distribution of the heat in the furnace chamber as well as an efiicient mixture of the air and gas.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that my improved furnace can be very readily converted froma gas furnace into a coal furnace. If 1t is desired to burn coal it is only necessary to swing the conduit .9 into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, which will draw the burner and conduits 10, 11 and 19 through the furnace (10101. The closure for the door open ing is of course removed as a part of the conduit 19, and as soon as the burner is thus swung out of the way a fire can be made in the furnace in the ordinary manner and the furnace can then be used exclusively as coal furnace. The gas-burning unltsare entirely removed from the furnace chamber and'are not in the way, nor are they liable .to damage from the heat ofthe coal fire as in some types of convertible furnaces.

For moderate heating only one supply pipe need be used, the other of thetwo pipes 10 and 11 being closed by the valve 12 or 13.

' By the use of relatively large number of Bunsenburners an even distribution of heat throughout the combustion chamber is se -cured and also a very effective burning of 1a, through which the gas passes.

Other modes of applying the principle of myv invention may be employed instead of the one'explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated byany of the following claims or the equivalent. of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point and distinctly claim. as my invent1on 1.; In a gas burner, the combination of spaced circularrcasings, conduits connected to said casings and adapted to supply gaseous fuel to the inner one and air to theouter one thereof, and a plurality of burner tubes extending from said inner casing through said outer casing, said tubes being arranged in two staggered rows and'being provi ed with apertures at points within said outer casing to admit air thereto. 7

2. In a gasburner, the combinationof spaced concentric hemispherical casings, conduits connected tosaid casings and adapted to supply gaseous fuel to the inner one and air to-the outer one, and a plurality of burner tubes extending from said inner casing through said outer casing,said tubes 7 being arrangedin two horizontal rows, said tubes extending from said inner casing through said outer casing andjbeing provided, at points within said outer casing, with apertures to admit air thereto. H

3. In a furnace'of the character described, the combination ofa furnace chamber having a door opening and a burner unit comprising two spaced concentric casings provided with a plurality of radially extending burner tubes, a fuel conduit extending through. such door, and an air conduit surrounding such fuel conduit and extending outside of such door. 7

Signed by me, this 28 day of November, 1911.

CHARLES c. KELLER. 

